One thing that makes Android stand out from the rest of the mobile operating systems, such as Windows or iOS, is that it provides a platform for using several apps. If you have a lot of apps installed in your mobile device, it can be quite annoying to tap several icons before you can open a frequently used app. Relax, because Android has a solution for this as well—the 1Tap Quick Bar app. 1Tap Quick Bar is a unique app by which frequently used apps, settings, and contacts can be accessed directly from a Quick Bar in the Notification Panel.

Steps

Part 1

Installing 1Tap Quick Bar

1

Tap on the Google Play Store app on the home screen or app drawer. The Play Store icon resembles a right-pointing triangle on a shopping bag.

2

Search for the 1Tap Quick Bar app. Tap on the search field located at the top of the screen. Type “1Tap Quick Bar” and press the magnifying glass to begin the search.

3

Tap on the first app that appears in the search result. You will be directed to the app’s information page. It has a colorful icon and is called “1Tap Quick Bar - Quick Settings”.

4

Install the 1Tap Quick Bar. Do this by tapping on the green “Install” button. Tap the “Accept” button on the Permissions screen that appears, and the app will download and install on your Android device.

Part 2

Setting Items on the Quick Bar

1

Tap the green “Open” button on the app’s information page. This will open 1Tap Quick Bar directly from Google Play. That is, if you’re still on the app’s information page after installing it.

If you’re no longer on the information page, open the app by tapping its icon on the home screen or app drawer.

2

Select “New” at the bottom left of the screen. Now you can begin customizing your Quick Bar.

3

Tap on the Items tab at the top of the screen. Here you will see a list of Items that you can add to your Quick Bar. The bar at the bottom of the screen are categories of Items:

Settings — These are shortcuts to various mobile settings such as Wi-Fi, Display, and Bluetooth settings.

Application — These are shortcuts to applications installed on your Android device.

Shortcut — These are, as the name suggests, shortcuts to select apps and other functions.

Contact — These are shortcuts to contacts in your Contact List.

Keep in mind that you can only add up to 6 Items on the Quick Bar if you’re a free user.

4

Choose the Settings shortcut you want in the Quick Bar. After tapping the Items tab, you’ll be taken to the Settings Shortcut page. If not, tap the settings icon in the bar at the bottom of the screen.

Scroll down to view all the settings shortcut you can add to the Quick Bar. To select a setting, just tap on it. Your selection will be added to the bar just below the Items tab.

5

Choose the Applications that you want in the Quick Bar. Tap the applications icon at the bottom, and a list of application shortcuts will appear.

Scroll down to view all the application shortcuts you can add to the Quick Bar. To select an application, just tap on it. Your selection will be added to the bar just below the Items tab.

6

Choose the Shortcut you want to appear in the Quick Bar. Tap the shortcut icon in the bar at the bottom of the screen, and a list of shortcuts will appear.

Scroll down to view all the shortcuts you can add to the Quick Bar. To select a shortcut, just tap on it. Your selection will be added to the bar just below the Items tab.

7

Choose the Important Contacts you want to appear in the Quick Bar. Tap the contact icon in the bar at the bottom of the screen, and your Contacts List will appear.

Scroll down to view all the contacts you can add to the Quick Bar. To select a contact, just tap on it. Your selection will be added to the bar just below the Items tab.

8

Tap the checkmark at the top when you’re done. This will save your Quick Bar, and you will be taken to the main screen of the app.

Part 3

Designing a Quick Bar

1

Tap on a Quick Bar on the main screen of the app. You’ll then be taken to the Items screen.

2

Tap the “Design” tab, next to “Items.” Here you can select the background of the Quick Bar, icon sets, text color, and status icons.

3

Change the Quick Bar’s background. Do this by tapping on “Background” on the bar at the bottom of the screen. Different background themes will appear.

Scroll through the themes to find one that you like, and tap on it to set it as the Quick Bar’s background.

4

Change the icon set. Tap on “Icon Set” at the bottom, and select from the options the icon set you want.

The icon set will determine the color of the icon when the item is in use (or not in use).

5

Change the text color. Tap on “Text Color” at the bottom, and select from the list the text color you want.

This only applies to those Items with text.

6

Change the status icon. Tap on “Status Icon” at the bottom, and select from the list the icon you want for certain statuses, like battery life or dates.

7

Tap the checkmark at the top. This will save your changes, and you will be taken back to the main screen of the app.

Part 4

Activating/Deactivating a Quick Bar

1

Applying a Quick Bar. One the main screen, tap on “Apply” at the bottom of the screen, and your Quick Bar will be displayed in the Notification Panel.

Now you can access frequently used items easily, which are just a tap away, from the Quick Bar!

If you’re a free user, you can only create and apply only 1 Quick Bar.

2

Deactivating a Quick Bar. If you upgraded to a Beginner, Premium, or Ultimate package, you can create and activate multiple Quick Bars. (The number of Quick Bars depends on the package.) If you don’t want to use all the Quick Bars you created, but don’t want to delete them completely, you can simply deactivate them so that they will not show on the Notification Panel.

On the main screen, tap and hold on the Quick Bar you want to deactivate. A left side panel will slide open.

Tap the eye icon. The icon will then have a slash through it, indicating that the selected Quick Bar is deactivated.

3

Activating a Quick Bar. If ever you want to reactivate a Quick Bar so it’ll appear on the Notification Panel, just tap and hold the Quick Bar to activate until the left side panel appears. Tap on the eye icon (with the slash through it) to activate the Quick Bar.

This only applies to users who upgraded their subscription.

Part 5

Using the Quick Bar

1

Slide open the Notification Panel. Just swipe down on the screen to open the Notification Panel. You’ll see that the Quick Bar, with all the Items you set, is there.

2

Select an Item that you want to use. If you selected an app shortcut, the app will open. If you selected a function (setting) shortcut—for example, Bluetooth—that particular function will enable.

Part 6

Deleting a Quick Bar

1

Launch 1Tap. On the app’s main screen, you’ll see all the Quick Bars you created.

2

Tap and hold on a Quick Bar you want to delete. A side panel will open on the left.

3

Select the trash bin icon. Tapping this will permanently remove the Quick Bar you selected from the Quick Bars list on the main screen.

Part 7

Upgrading Your Subscription

1

Launch 1Tap. On the app’s main screen, you’ll see all the Quick Bars you created.

2

Tap on “More” at the bottom right of the screen. A context menu will slide up.

3

Select “Upgrade,” the option with a star icon. A screen will appear listing the 3 different subscription packages you can apply to, with a “Buy” button next to the subscription name.

4

Tap on the “Buy” button next to the subscription package you want. You can select from the following:

Beginner (0.99€) — You can create up to 2 Quick Bars, with unlimited number of Items per bar.

Premium (1.99€) — You can create up to 5 Quick Bars, with unlimited number of Items per bar.

Ultimate (2.49€) — Unlimited Quick Bars with unlimited items.

5

Tap on “Buy” on the Google Play confirmation pop-up that appears. You may be asked for Gmail password to allow this in-app purchase (depending on your settings).

Once done, you can create and activate the number of Quick Bars allowed for your subscription package.